It has been a quiet week. After the Icy-8, the next day I went out on the Bull Run trail to run. This is the trail in my neighborhood. We have a race called Bull Run Run (BRR) 50 (mile). I ran it last year. It is usually at the beginning of April and was a quite popular trail race, that usually sold out. Only last year was my first time getting in. They say, you have to be fast or lucky to sign up. I got in again this year, so I have to train for it. There used to be a lottery system because it was so popular.
I want to run better than last year when finished with only 15 minutes to spare. My secret goal (or not so secret) is to run it under 12 hours. This is hard.
It has some good climbings. Nothing too serious but the first time I ran on it, it was a what-the-hell moment. Now a year has past, and hills there are not too threatening. I would still walk up on most of them instead of running. I am no longer get out of breath. The goal is to be good enough to run on them even when I am tired.
So the last few Sundays, I have been covering the Bull Run trail. Usually I put in 25-30 miles. I call it my long run day.
This past Saturday, we had an official Bull Run Run training run at one of the notorious sections called the Death by Do-Loop. I suspect whoever came up with the name is a computer programmer because there is something called the Do While Loop. The concept is the same, you keep doing until it expires and for computer, it means go on forever (in an infinite loop). So our training was to run on the Do Loop until we can’t any more.
The portion we ran was about 7-8 miles long. There is a 1.5-2 mile loop at the end where many people usually get lost. I got lost there last year during my BRR race, so this year, I said I must run it so much that it would be impossible for me to get lost again.
I did get lost. I ran only two loops that day. My first loop was fine as I was following other runners. By second loop I was by myself. It was when the fun began. I was mostly deep in thoughts. And somehow I never exited the Do Loop but kept walking and running back and forth. I was not really lost but the trail was still new to me and I was surprised how it looped me around at some portion when I was not paying attention. So I went back and investigated how that happened. A friend, Ram came along and helped me and led me through the whole Do Loop again and I finished it. I did a partial 3rd and 4th Loop with another friend until it was near sunset before quitting. I had a good day.
I had an admirer who was impressed because I got into the Western States 100. We talked about Wasatch (another 100). They laughed when they found out I signed up for about ten 100 mile races this year. They said I must be rich! Not only is the race expensive, but flying there and the hotel cost would be through the roof. I said, I haven’t told my boss yet for the days I would be off. I am counting all my PTO.
My left ankle took some beating from the weekend training. I did not roll it. It felt numb after spending a day on the Do Loop. I have not been on trail that much the last couple months since the Devil Dog. Now suddenly I am back on the trail my ankle is complaining.
The very next day, I hit the Bull Run trail again. While it was raining a bit, a friend came and join misery. There was a lot of mud. We slipped and slided around. It was fun, satisfactory fun that we put a good training. I finished the day with a bowl of hot soup.
I am proud that I have been consistently trained on the Bull Run. Definitely, I will run better this year.
In awe 